Chemotherapy can damage your body’s ability to make red blood cells, so body tissues do not get enough oxygen, a condition called anemia. People who have anemia may feel very weak or tired, dizzy, faint, or short of breath, or may feel that their hearts are beating very fast....more

Treatment for cancer, as well as the cancer itself, can affect your sense of taste or smell. You may find that many foods seem to have less taste. Other foods, especially meat or other high-protein foods, may taste bitter or metallic....more

You have come to the decision with your healthcare provider to try an antidepressant medicine for depression. To take antidepressant drugs medicine safely, you will need some information, which you can find here....more

Osteoporosis is a disease in which bones become porous and weak. As they lose strength, they are more likely to break. Bones in the spine, hip, wrist, pelvis, and upper arm are particularly at risk of fracture in people with osteoporosis....more

Check with your healthcare provider to see if you can increase the fiber in your diet. If you can, try foods such as whole-grain breads and cereals, dried fruits, wheat bran, and wheat germ; fresh fruits and vegetables; and dried beans and peas....more

Your healthcare provider may prescribe a medicine to control your symptoms, and/or, if symptoms persist, you may need fluid replacement intravenously (IV). It is possible to replace these fluids intravenously on an outpatient basis. When you are having chemotherapy, you should not take any over-the-counter medicines for diarrhea without first talking with your healthcare provider....more

These are good food choices when you have diarrhea: yogurt and cottage cheese; rice, noodles, and potatoes; eggs; white bread; smooth peanut butter; and skinned chicken or turkey, lean beef, and fish....more

Fatigue can come and go or stay constant for a while. Fatigue from chemotherapy tends to happen a few days after the treatment, peaks, and then gets better before the next treatment. Fatigue from radiation may not happen right away....more

Fatigue is a vague feeling of being tired, weak, or exhausted. It is often a symptom of cancer when cancer is first diagnosed, or when cancer progresses. It is also the most common side effect of cancer treatment....more

Chemotherapy is the use of medicines to treat cancer. The medicines can cause an inflammation of the lining of the mouth. The mouth is lined with mucous membranes. When these are inflamed, it’s called mouth mucositis....more

After receiving a few treatments, some patients feel nausea and begin vomiting in anticipation of the next treatment. The reaction is usually caused by something related to the treatment, like the smell of alcohol or the sight of a medical uniform....more

If you have nausea and vomiting, choose foods that are easy to chew, swallow, and digest, such as toast, crackers, and pretzels; yogurt; sherbet; skinned chicken; ice chips; and carbonated drinks....more

Your calcium level can become too high if your cancer has spread to the bones, causing calcium to be released. Or, your cancer may release certain hormones that affect the normal systems that control the calcium level in your blood....more

The goal of pain control is to prevent pain that can be prevented, and to treat pain that cannot be prevented. It is possible that you will not have pain from chemotherapy treatments, but if you do, you can take steps to relieve it....more

Chemotherapy can affect both the skin and nails. It may cause an increased sensitivity to the sun as well as redness, rashes, itching, peeling, dryness, or acne. Nails may become darkened, yellow, brittle, or cracked, and may also develop vertical lines or ridges....more

People often choose to wear wigs, scarves, or hats while or after losing their hair. If this is what you would like to do, pick them out ahead of time and start wearing them before your hair is completely gone....more